


Words Wasted

by PagetPaulson



Category: Criminal Minds, Pretty Little Liars
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-06-26
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:33:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1851454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PagetPaulson/pseuds/PagetPaulson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Fitz's are not the kind of people to leave a girl alone on the scary streets of D.C.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Scrounging through the new bag of garbage that had been thrown into her alley, the newly cleaned brunette girl dug through the plastic, trying her best to find something that hadn't been fully eaten so she could finally have her dinner. It was Thursday. She had been able to bathe three days ago in the day the lake two miles downtown when it was closed off from residents, but it had been the same amount of time since she had last eaten, and the nineteen year old was hungry.

Blinking tears back from her big brown eyes, the teenager found herself digging deeper into the bag. It was five months to the day she had runaway from her home of structure and silence, no longer able to take what her family had been putting on her. She was never smart enough, never punctual enough or never pretty enough. Nothing could ever be done to satisfy her parents, or even her older sister.

Running away had seemed like the best idea; no one to tell her how to do something, and she'd finally be able to go out and be that independent girl that her lawyer parents had always tried to subdue.

Big mistake on her part.

Every shelter she had tried to go to was either full or held delinquents that could easily leave her in harms way. One shelter meant for teenage runaways had actually taken her in after doing a small background check on her to make sure that she wouldn't be a danger to anyone else in the home. But her first night there, the director of the program that took in homeless teens had found his way into her cot and tried to have his way with her, bribing her with an extra bowl of food that morning, and the nineteen year old had run out of there.

And now there was nowhere for her to go.

A joyous smile graced her dirtied face at the feeling of her hand hit something, and she immediately tore through the rest of the bag so she could pull it out.

A rotted banana.

The brunette scurried over back to her bed that she had made out of three muddied blankets she had found outside of a nearby apartment home, they were thrown into a large puddle outside the residence, and cuddled underneath the warmest one before peeling open the expired fruit. She needed some nutrients, needing to stop the painful cramping she felt.

Her ears perked up at the sound of heavy footsteps coming closer and closer down the street that led to the darkened alley she thought of as her new home. Throwing her food down to the blanket beneath her, the dirtied girl's frozen hands reached for the can of mase she had been given by one of the security guards at the third homeless shelter that rejected her and hid herself underneath her warmest blanket.

Brown eyes franntically looked around, widening at the sight of a shadow that was projected onto the brick wall opposite her from one of the street lights. Someone was coming, and she barely had anything to protect herself.

She held her shaking hand out at the sight of the dark figure rounding the corner into her alley, her eyes closing tight as her heart pounded it's way through her ratty jacket. "Get away! I can hurt you, I can." Her head immediately began to shake as she felt them grow closer, tears spilling from underneath her closed eyes. "Please just go away, please."

The older brunette knelt down before the frightened girl, careful of the can she held in her hand. "Are you alright?"

Hearing the surprisingly soft voice of the stranger, the teen's eyes popped open, the can of mase continually shaking in her hand. "Who are you? I can hurt you!"

"Don't worry," he whispered, holding up his hands to show that he had nothing to harm her with. "I don't want to hurt you. I was walking down the street to find the money I dropped and I saw you sitting over here. What are you doing out here?" The girl couldn't be older than twenty.

The brown eyed girl quickly shook her head. "This is my home and I'd like for you to leave please."

Smiling gently, the older man nodded. "I didn't mean to intrude." He quickly shed his jacket and handed it to the young girl. "Here."

"I can't take this."

He kept his hand out, the jacket falling from his fingers. "I have plenty others, and your coat wouldn't even keep you warm during the summer." His eyes caught hers, and he waited patiently until the initial fear that he saw disappeared. "Take it."

The brunette girl gave a slow nod of the head before taking the stranger's jacket and shoving her arms through the fleece sleeves. "Thank you."

"Ezra?"

Her head whipped around at the sound of a new voice. "Who is that?"

The older man quickly shook his head, holding a hand up to the once again frightened young girl. "Don't worry, it's just my wife."

Emily made her way around the corner with her arms tight around her, her expensive white coat standing out again the darkness of the alley. "Honey what's going on?" She ventured farther into the small alleyway and her eyes immediately attached to those of a dirtied girl who sit huddled in her husband's coat. The brown eyed woman immediately knelt beside her husband and touched the girl's shoulder. "Sweetheart are you alright?"

"Don't!"

Ezra quickly took his wife's hand in hers, making sure she was a good distance away from the teenager so she wouldn't get hurt, before looking back to the homeless girl. "Don't worry, she's not going to hurt you."

Emily slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten her." She tilted her head, hating the scared expression on the young girl's face. "What are you doing out here? It's cold sweetheart, do you have a home?"

"This is my home."

The blue eyed man gave an understanding nod before taking out his wallet.

Immediately beginning to shake her head, the nineteen yeaar old backed further against the wall. "I don't want anything."

Ezra felt his wife squeeze his arm, and he held out a small stack of cash. "Here's two hundred dollars and my business card. I want you to call me when you get the chance, and maybe we can help you get into a shelter."

Emily took the items and held it out to the teen. "What's your name?"

"I'm Spencer," she whispered hoarsely.

The brunette smiled, placing the money and the business card into the homeless girl's hand. "Alright Spencer, I want you to take this. All we want in return is that you try and stay safe, ok?"

Spencer frowned, her fingers playing with the blanket on her lap. "Why do you care? You don't know me."

"I care because I know that I'd kill to get my child out of this situation, and so we'll do the same for you." The older brunette winked, feeling the nineteen year old's fingers clench around the money. "Got it?"

The younger girl slowly nodded her head, watching as the couple stood up. "Yes ma'am. Thank you." She watched as the brunette pair walked back off down the alley and onto the city streets of D.C before shoving the money into her bra and lying down for bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Ezra Fitz fixed his briefcase over his shoulder as he ordered his morning coffee. He had hinted at the new leather briefcase with the long satchel strap from the Gucci boutique down the street from his home for over three months, and Emily had finally bought it for him for his birthday.

Today was his first day back to work after the week the college had been given to let everything settle down after the first bomb scare in twenty years. The culprets were two freshman boys who thought it would be a good way to finally get some attention on them instead of others that they went to school with.

When found out, both eighteen year olds had been expelled and arrested for being a threat to the school they had threatened.

Ezra smiled to the barista behind the counter before taking the two coffees in his hands and walking back out into the warmest day of that month. "Here you are."

The brunette woman took the coffee from her husband and pressed a thankful kiss to his lips. "Thank you," she smiled, linking her arm with his before they began to walk down the busy street. "Maybe I shouldn't have worn a sweater."

"Too hot?"

Emily quickly nodded her head, walking along with her husband across the street to the next sidewalk. "I didn't think the last day of October would be so warm." Looking to the blue eyed man beside her, Emily smiled gently. "Are you ready to get back to work?"

Ezra sighed. "I guess. It'll be great to be actually doing my work, but seeing those kids might be a little much."

The younger brunette stopped her stride, forcing the English professor to stop and turn to her. "They're all going to be alright. It was just a scare and nothing more." She stepped closer to Ezra and captured his lips with hers. "Besides, everyone will be going through an evaluation curtosy of moi, so once that's done I'm sure everything will get back to normal."

Smiling to his beaming wife, Ezra kissed her once more. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Emily laughed. "Help you keep your head on? It's my job," she grinned, closing her eyes as the older man leaned in again.

Hearing a small crash from up the street, the brunette couple turned their heads.

Emily's eyes widened at the sight of a store manager throwing a dirtied looking girl out onto the street, the teenager wincing as the older man continued to raise his voice to her. "Ezra, it's Spencer."

Ezra pulled his wife along as he ran up the street before stepping in front of the angered manager. "She's with me."

The balding man glared, watching as the brunette woman pressed the teen against his side. "You! You never come here again!"

Spencer hastily shook her head. "But I didn't do anything!"

"Hey!" Ezra pushed his hand against the store manager's chest to stop him from getting any closer. "We get it, alright? She's with us now so leave her alone."

Shaking his head, the balding man turned back around and stomped into his store.

Emily led the teenager up the street until they were out of sight of the convenience store, turning her to face her once the sun hit them from behind one of D.C's tallest buildings. "Spencer, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

The brunette woman sighed. "What were you doing?"

Spencer wiped her hand off on her jacket, looking away from the older woman. "I needed food."

"Where's the money we gave you?"

Spencer bit her lip at Ezra's question. "I spent it."

Emily's jaw dropped. "All of it? Sweetheart, it's been four days."

"I needed food and more blankets, ok?"

Ezra stepped before his wife and looked down to the teenager. "Spencer, what were you doing in the store?"

Spencer looked up into the older man's blue eyes. "I only had five dollars left and the sandwich costed ten! What was I supposed to do?"

"So he caught you stealing."

Ezra shook his head. "Spencer," he sighed, looking softly down into the homeless girl's eyes. "I gave you my number for a reason. If you needed more money, I would have given you some."

Spencer felt her chin tremble at the brunette's words. "You had already done so much for me," she whispered, playing with the sleeve of her jacket. "It would have been rude if I just asked for more money."

The brunette woman gently touched the teenager's shoulder. "Sweetheart, it would not have been rude. We wouldn't have minded giving you some more money because we know you'd need it." Watching as the nineteen year old nodded, Emily stood straighter and laid her hand to Spencer's back. "Why don't you come with us today?"

Spencer's brow furrowed. "Come where?"

"Both Ezra and I have work." Emily looked compassionately down to the brunette girl. "If you'd like, you can come with us so you'll be safe for the day. We can get you lunch and you can rest in one of our offices while classes are going on."

The nineteen year old felt tears spring into her eyes. "Really?"

Emily handed Spencer her coffee before leading her up the street with Ezra on the other side of the dirtied girl. "It would be our pleasure."

Three hours later, Emily stood from the confrence room table and made her way out onto the college campus with her files in her hands. Twenty students down, eleven hundred and seventy two to go.

The evaluations that morning had gone better than the Criminology professor and guidance counselor had thought. Everything had gone according to plan until the last student had come in.

Freshman Rebecca Summers had had an anxiety attack once Emily had begun to question her, and when the blond girl had claimed her chest was clenching, the school brought an ambulance to the school to take Rebecca to Memorial Hospital not two miles away.

Unlocking her office door, Emily walked inside to find Spencer napping lightly on the leather couch opposite her desk. She set down all of her now completed files beside a picture of her and Ezra on her desk before walking over to the couch and kneeling on the shining wooden floors. "Spencer?" The brunette woman shook the homeless girl's shoulder and softly as she could. "Sweetheart, wake up."

Spencer grimaced as she opened her eyes to see the light above her. She sat herself up on the couch and looked to the older woman. "Hi."

Emily smiled. "Hey. You hungry?"

The nineteen year old made a face. "But we ate before."

All Emily could do was nod her head, hating how the homeless girl ignored the fact that her stomach was growling. "Yeah, well I'm still a little hungry and I thought we could order something before I finish up my evaluations for the day."

Spencer hesitated before nodding to the older woman. "I'd like that."

"Great," she smiled. Picking up her cell phone, Emily sat herself down on the couch and quickly ordered them some food that would be delivered within the half hour.

The teen looked to the professor beside her and gave her a small smile. "Thank you, Emily."

The brunette smiled. "It's not a problem, Spencer." Clearing her throat, Emily turned slightly so she could face the teenager beside her. "So I've been thinking, and I spoke with Ezra about it and he agrees." Her doe eyes softened on the nineteen year old. "What would you say about staying with my husband and I?"

Spencer's eyes bugged. "You mean at your house?"

"I mean at our house." Reaching out, the Criminology professor set her hand atop the younger girl's. "Ezra and I both feel horrible about your situation, and we want to give you a home."

Tears were in the teen's eyes. "Why?"

Emily bit her lip to keep from crying at the look of disbelief on the brunette's face. "Honey we can't just leave you to fend for yourself on the street. We know you're a good girl and we want to make sure you're safe."

Spencer's lips quivered as she vigorously nodded her head. "I'd like that very much."


	3. Chapter 3

Playing gently with the fork between her fingers, Spencer stared quietly down to the plate before her. The college professors had taken her to their home right after their classes were done for the day, leading her into a monumental building on one of the fanciest D.C streets. The apartment building's lobby had a small marble fountain and sparkling floors, and being on the nineteenth floor, Spencer got to ride up in a multi-mirrored elevator that could fit her entire Biochemestry class from her senior year.

Twenty-seven people.

Emily had shown her the spare bedroom that would now be hers, the first room on the second floor just beside the top of the staircase. It was bigger than her old bedroom back at home, at least twice it's size. The criminology professor told her that she would be allowed to wear clothing of hers until they got around to buying her own clothing during one of their free days that weekend.

She couldn't believe these people, these complete strangers, were willing to do almost anything just for her. But they were.

Spencer bit her lip as she looked up from her food, watching as the blue eyed man poured his wife another glass of wine. "This is really good."

Ezra smiled at the voice that had been practically nonexistent the entire time they'd been home. "Thank you. It's an old family recipe that I thought could use some spicing up."

The brunette woman chuckled as she nodded in agreement with her husband. "He's never afraid to try new things in the kitchen."

Ezra looked to the nineteen year old sitting across from him at their dining room table. "What about you, Spencer? Do you like to cook? Any hobbies?"

Spencer took a small bite of the chicken she had been served. "I like to sculpt," she shrugged. "Don't really know how to cook."

"Would you like to learn?"

Smiling comfortingly at the now showered girl before her, seeing the apprehension in her eyes, Emily nodded her head. "Ezra can be a great teacher at times."

Ezra frowned. "At times?"

"Yeah," Emily chuckled, setting down her wine glass. "I'm not getting into specifics."

Spencer looked back down to her plate, sensing a sexual innuendo falling from the older woman's lips. "So, um," she coughed, "I really like your guys' house."

The English professor gave his best smile, ignoring the way Spencer just skipped past his offer. "Thank you. We bought it just before we became in engaged."

Emily nodded. "A few years ago."

"It's pretty big."

Emily shrugged, glancing around the room. "Yeah, pretty big. Maybe a little too big for just Ezra and I, but now we have you."

Spencer gave a small nod, feeling embarressment hit her when she found herself under the gaze of the criminology professor. "Thank you." Scratching her head, the teen looked to the blue eyed man. "So how did you guys meet?"

The brown eyed woman chuckled. "I was teaching a seminar over in Philly with one of my friends in the FBI and I found Ezra outside on the street kicking at his tire."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "My ex girlfriend slashed them."

"That's what you get for dating a teenager."

Spencer felt her jaw drop. "What?"

The English professor held up his hand. "She was a senior in high school, and yes it was a mistake."

Emily shook her head, laughing as she looked to the wide eyed teen. "So how do you like your room? Is it spacious enough?"

Spencer felt herself give a real smile. "It's amazing, thank you." Taking a sip of her iced water, the brunette looked to the woman who let her into her and her husband's home. "I actually really like the color of the room. I've never seen a green guest room before."

Ezra shared a small look with his suddenly silent wife. "Yes, we repainted every room last year, and we thought it would be a nice touch."

The nineteen year old bit her lip as she helped clean up the dinner that Ezra had made, walking into the kitchen with her plate in hand. "Ezra?"

"What's up?" he nodded, taking the dishes and rinsing them off before putting them in the dishwasher. "Everything ok?"

Spencer shortly shrugged her shoulders. "Did I make Emily upset?"

Ezra gave a small shake of the head, looking to the younger girl that stood before him. "No Spencer you didn't, it's just a touchy subject."

"I didn't mean to-"

"No," he agreed, "I know you didn't."

Spencer nodded. "Can I ask why she became so quiet?"

"It's not only my story," the English professor sighed. "Maybe some other time."

Not two hours later, Emily awoke to a small bang hearing down the hall. She quickly got up out of bed and slipped on her robe before making her way down the hall, peeking into Spencer's new bedroom. "Oh sweetie..."

The brunette woman stepping in and knelt down beside the bed, shaking the thrashing girl's shoulder to wake her up. "Spencer? Spencer you need to open your eyes, ok?" Expertly dodging a flying fist, Emily let out a sigh. "Spencer!"

Spencer sat up quickly in her bed, sweat marring her softly freckled face and fear in her brown eyes.

Emily reached out to comfort the scared girl, hating the scared look in the teen's eyes. "Honey are you aright?"

The nineteen year old immediately flinched, moving herself out of the older woman's reach. "Don't!" Spencer pulled her sweat soaked hair from her eyes and quickly shook her head. "Please don't."

Emily sucked her lips between her teeth, standing back up and smiling the best she could. "Of course. Would you like some water, Spencer?"

"No," she stammered, avoiding the brunette woman's eyes.

The criminology professor gave a small nod before making her way back out into the hall, blinking back her tears as she walked back to her bedroom to lay beside her husband.


	4. Chapter 4

Emily looked up from the term papers she had been grading that morning, watching as her husband danced around the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"I'm having a very good morning," he sang, stirring the oatmeal he was making in a pot that sat on the stove.

The younger brunette rolled her eyes before looking back down to the papers on the granite island before her, marking the student's paper with a clear red 'C' just beside their neatly printed name. "Why exactly?"

Ezra turned just as he turned off the stove, pouring three cups full of his homemade oatmeal that he knew his wife loved. "Because I'm sharing this morning with my beautiful wife, and hopefully soon the smart and now safe Spencer Hastings that should be joining us soon."

Emily slowly shook her head, her dark doe eyes meeting those aqua blues of the English professor. "She pulled away from me last night," she whispered.

The older man rounded the island and wrapped his arms around his wife from behind, setting his chin to her shoulder. "She had just had a nightmare, honey. She was probably still scared."

"It still hurt."

Pecking warmly at the criminology professor's ivory cheek, he hugged Emily tighter. "I know, sweetheart."

Emily sighed as Ezra backed away, doing his best to urge her off of her stool. "Ezra stop."

"No."

The brunette tried to shrug the older man away, wanting to stay right where she was and eat the breakfast that Ezra had thoughtfully made for her. "Honey please? I just want to eat."

Smirking, Ezra pulled his wife up onto her feet, he swept her into his arms. "And I want to dance," he whispered sexily, holding her body tight to his and moving them slowly around the kitchen.

Emily tried to contain her giggle as she let the English professor twirl her around before bringing her quickly back into his hold. "Why exactly are we dancing in the kitchen," she asked, glancing over to the clock on the microwave, "at seven-thirty in the morning?" A smile spread over her face when the older man began to whisper the words of her favorite slow song into her ear.

He always knew how to make them feel better.

Spencer walked sluggishly down the stairs of the condo's wooden stairs in a pair of sweats and a hoodie that the criminology professor had leant her, her wavy hair splayed around her shoulders, still messied from tossing and turning the night before. Her nightmare was one that was frequent to the not-so-homeless girl, haunting her almost every time she closed her eyes.

They had started a week after she had left her home and ventured out onto the streets of D.C, and it was definitely one that she was not willing to share.

The nineteen year old glanced over to the kitchen when she hit the last step of the staircase, hearing a laugh hit her eardrums. Her light brown eyes looked at the dancing couple, watching with a small hint of amusement as the professors swayed around the kitchen, Ezra holding the giggling woman in his arms as close as he could. "Kid in the room."

Emily immediately backed away from her husband, holding her hand over her lips to keep the joyous quivering out of the teenager's sight. "Hello Spencer."

Ezra chuckled, handing the brunette girl the bowl of oatmeal he had prepared for her. "Kid huh?"

The brunette shrugged. "Yeah well."

Emily watched with careful eyes as the teenager sat down on the stool just beside the one she had vacated, the nineteen year old becoming immediately immersed in her food. "How was the rest of your night, Spencer?"

Spencer took a bite of the hot food and gave a small nod. "Fine." Her eyes moved from the granite counter to the English professor that sat down across from her. "This is good, did you make it?"

"Homemade," he nodded.

The nineteen year old smiled gently. "You really are a good cook."

Ezra grinned, watching as his wife sat down beside the new addition to their home. "Thank you Spencer. I'm glad you like it."

The criminology professor watched as the brunette girl ravished her food before picking up her red pen once more to continue grading the papers she was due to give back that day. "So would you feel alright staying here today on your own while we go to work? We won't be back past four."

Spencer hesitated before firmly nodding her head, avoiding the older woman's eyes. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? If you want, you can come with us again and stay in the office."

Spencer looked up to the professor with stern eyes, her fingers curling hard around the spoon in her hand. "I'll be fine. Thank you."

Emily slowly nodded her head. "Alright." She bit her lip at the look the nineteen year old had given her, glancing to her husband with dull eyes before going back to her grading. It was going to take a little longer than she thought to get Spencer to fully trust her, she understood that, but it shouldn't have to be that hard.


	5. Chapter 5

Spencer sat herself down on the Fitz' couch for the fifth time that day, not having been able to find anything else to do except for watch their giant flat screen TV. She was completely grateful to the couple for having brought her in and actually given her a home, but she was quickly running out of things to do in the home when neither of the adults were there. She wasn't sure what rooms she was allowed into, and she definitely didn't know what to do with herself when they were all there together, knowing how lovey-dovey the couple could be when they were together.

Lowering the volume on the television, Spencer rolled her eyes. The same movie on for the second time, and she could barely take it the first time, she didn't think she could take it again.

She stood from the couch and made her way into the kitchen, walking barefoot along the marble floors to get to the refrigerator and taking an apple out of the fruit drawer for a little snack. Sneaking a peek at the microwave, she saw that she had three hours until the pair was supposed to be home.

The brunette took a bite out of her apple before walking back into the living room, bending down before one of the bookcases and taking out a covered binder that sit on the bottom row. She sat herself back down onto the plush couch and opened up the book, a smile gracing her face at the sight of the two adults standing side by side on their wedding day.

Emily was smiling beautifully at the camera while in her new husband's arms, not noticing how the older man was staring at her with his intense blue eyes.

The nineteen year old couldn't believe how in love the pair still was, knowing only of her experiences and knowledge of others experiences how fast a couple can get past the honeymoon stage.

Flipping to the next page, Spencer chuckled at the sight of the criminology professor with cake smeared all over her face, the brunette woman with her jaw dropped as she looked to the man beside her with frosting on his fingers.

"Spencer?"

The brown eyed girl's head spun around, her breath leaving her at the sight of the older woman walking through the apartment door. "Hi." She quickly shoved the photo album underneath the cushion beside her, not knowing if her was allowed to be going through their things like she had done.

Emily smiled softly as she set her bags down on the kitchen counter before continuing her way into the living room. "Hey." She sat herself down beside the younger brunette. "You feeling any better?"

Spencer softened her features when she saw Emily's doe eyes looking at her with the most sincerity she had ever seen someone look to her with, and she immediately regretted treating the older woman the way she had the night before and even that morning. "I'm a little better, thank you."

The criminology professor nodded, smiling wide. "Great." Feeling her body hit something hard, the brunette's brows furrowed and she quickly moved the cushion behind her aside. She fought the urge to laugh as she picked up the album and set it in her lap, seeing the guilty look on the teenager's face. "Well I was going to ask what you've been doing with your time," she smiled.

Spencer quickly shook her head, sitting up straighter on the couch. "I'm sorry, I got bored and I saw the bookcase and I thought I'd look at a book, but then I realized it wasn't an actual book but I didn't put it back and I should have and I'm sorry."

Holding up her hand to silence the brunette girl, Emily shook her head. "Ok, almost understood that." The criminology professor smiled, lying her hand gently over the teen's shaking one. "It's ok, I don't mind you looking through the books or anything. You live here now, Spencer."

The brown eyed girl slowly nodded her head, biting into her bottom lip as she watched the older woman open up the photo album. "I thought you looked really pretty," she smiled gently. "And happy."

Emily grinned, staring down at her favorite picture of her and her husband during their first dance as a married couple, their faces so close together with grins on their faces. "It was a pretty great day," she beamed, looking back up to the brunette before her. "The first time I felt that his family actually accepted me."

"They didn't accept you beforehand?"

Emily let out a small laugh, shaking her head as she set the photo album on her one of a kind coffee table. "Not necessarily. His mother is a writer who is insanely rich, and she looked down on me for being a diplomat's daughter. I was in the FBI at the time we met and we were in Philly doing a seminar, and I met his mother just after meeting him and she thought it was unbecoming for a woman to run around carrying a gun."

Spencer's brow arched. "You left the FBI to be a professor just to please her?"

"No," the older woman denied. "I got shot in the abdomen and now too much exercise or even a simple run can make me completely winded. I left because I wouldn't be able to go out into the field anymore and I would have hated sitting at a desk all day, so they offered me the teaching position at the college I teach at now, and I thought it was better to teach the students who would someday take my place than retire early."

"And so now his mom likes you?"

Emily chuckled. "Well from that and the fact that I let her think she picked the colors of my bridesmaids' dresses." Smiling at the laugh she got out of the new resident in her home, Emily stood from the couch. "You know what? I know we said we'd wait until the weekend but we're both free now. Let's go shopping."

Spencer's eyes widened as she watched the older brunette walk back over to the kitchen and pick up her purse that she had set down. "Right now?"

"Yeah," Emily smiled. "That alright?"

The nineteen year old eagerly nodded her head, standing from the couch just as the ivory woman had before her and taking her coat that Emily had given to her. "Yeah sure." Nervousness spread through her as they walked out the door, heading down the grand hallway, following the rich woman as her heart began to pound out of her chest. Her family had money and they always bought designer clothes, but the Fitzs were rich.

Where exactly would the buy their clothes? Paris?


	6. Chapter 6

"The mall?"

Emily smiled to the nineteen year old at her side, setting her hand against the small of Spencer's back as she led her into the first of many stores they would be visiting that day. "I always find the best stuff on sale," she chuckled, making her way over to the first rack of women's blouses she saw. "Ezra's younger brother Wesley thinks I should quit my job now and become a personal shopper."

Spencer watched as the brunette woman searched through the first sale rack, smiling at the grin the professor held on her face. "I thought you'd be shopping somewhere in downtown D.C."

"Nah," the brunette snorted. "Why spend all that money on clothes that are just as good as these?" Emily glanced up from the rack before her and looked at the girl she and her husband had taken in, shrugging her shoulders. "Granted I do have some designer brands, but most of my stuff comes from the regular stores."

Spencer nodded her head, letting the older woman hold up a blue lace blouse up to her to see if it would fit. "That's cute."

"Would you like it?"

The nineteen year old hesitated before shaking her head. "I really don't need all that much, you know. Like two pairs a pants and a shirt."

Emily watched the teenager's features sadden at the reminder that she had been living on the streets; no home, no money. Hanging the shirt back onto the rack she had taken it from, the criminology professor took a step towards the younger brunette and opened her arms. "May I?"

Spencer's brow furrowed at the question. After hesitating for just a moment, the girl cautiously nodded her head, giving the chocolate eyed woman permission.

Wrapping her arms softly around the hesitant teen, Emily smiled wide, ignoring the stiff nature Spencer continued to hold onto. "I know you're not too comfortable with this yet, but I want you to know that you are staying with us until you're ready to head off on your own and depending on how long that takes, you might need more than just two pairs of pants and a shirt." Pulling back, she looked strongly at the other girl. "I want to do this for you, Spencer."

Spencer smiled softly to the older woman, glad to have her body back out of those surprisingly comforting arms. "I know, thank you. I just don't want you to spend so much on me."

"I will spend however much is needed. Now come on," she urged, gesturing for the brunette to follow. "We have about thirty stores to get through and only two hours to do it before Ezra gets home from work."

The teen's jaw dropped, quickly following after the older woman. "Thirty stores?"

...

Ezra walked into his apartment with his briefcase tight in his hold, closing the heavy door behind him and flipping the deadbolt before putting on the chain. "Em? Spencer? You guys home?"

"In here honey!"

The English professor's eyes widened as he made his way down the hall, seeing his wife sitting up in the recliner and Spencer lying down on the biggest couch with her head almost lolling off of the cushions, dozens of shopping bags littering the living room floor. "Did you rob all of D.C?"

Spencer groaned, looking to the only man in the house. "I really appreciate everything, but this was a lot to carry. Thirty stores?"

Ezra looked to his wife, his brow raised. "Thirty stores? That's it?"

The nineteen year old's jaw dropped, her head whipping around to look at the woman that had taken her out that afternoon. "That's it?"

Emily grinned. "Just another day," she shrugged. Standing from her chair, she walked over to the couch and kissed her husband. "How was work?"

"Fine. I have to go in early tomorrow for a meeting."

The brunette let herself pout, feeling her husband pulling her body closer to his. "So I won't see you in the morning?"

Ezra chuckled, sharing a kiss with the younger woman in his arms. "You will if you wake up early enough."

Emily gave a frown. "Ugh."

Sitting up on the couch, Spencer bit her lip. She knew that she had to apologize to the criminology professor for how she had acted the night before, hating that she had pushed the older woman away because of her nightmare and how it had effected her. It wasn't Emily's fault that those things were haunting her, and she shouldn't be treated like shit and then have to try to then fix the still budding relationship between them.

Spencer waited until Ezra had left the room before standing up and following the brunette woman into the kitchen. "Emily?"

The chocolate eyed woman turned, smiling to the teen who stood in the kitchen's entryway. "What is it Spencer?"

"I wanted to apologize."

Emily's brow furrowed, her eyes scanning the younger girl who stood stiffly across the room. "For what, honey?"

The nineteen year old walked slowly into the pristine kitchen, her fingers gliding across the granite island as she tried to think of the exact words to say to the older woman. "I know that I was rude last night and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you away from me because I know that you were just trying to comfort me."

"Oh honey," Emily shook her head. "There's no reason for you to apologize. I understand that you were upset, and that's ok."

Spencer shrugged. "I'm still sorry."

Emily smiled softly to the teenager, knowing that it was hard for the younger brunette to open herself up even that much to her. If that's all she could get for right now, she was going to take it. "Thank you Spencer. That's very sweet of you." She handed the brown eyed girl the spoon she was holding. "Would you like to help me?"

"Sure," she nodded, smiling to the brunette woman that had taken her in. Stepping up to the counter beside the professor, Spencer watched as she began to get the rice ready for their dinner. "Thank you again for today," she nodded. "I really appreciate everything you've been doing for me."

The ebony haired woman smiled as she continued to stare down into the pot that she had set atop the stove. "It's not a problem, sweetheart. Ezra and I only want the best for you."

Spencer felt something begin to crack inside of her at the other woman's words, a small light breaking through this barrier that she never knew she had put up in the first place. But feeling what she was beginning to feel, she wanted that barrier down. The only question was how was she supposed to do that without tearing at her emotions trying to make that happen?


	7. Chapter 7

Spencer set her head down on her pillow for the first time that night, bringing the comforter up to her shoulders to try and warm herself up. The heat had been shut off that night because the couple that was now taking care of her had wanted to save some money, and now her room felt like an ice box.

The night had gone by with Emily smiling and watching as the brunette did her best to feel comfortable trying on all the new clothes that had been bought for her. Being with the two professors made her feel more serene and loved than she had in the many years she had lived in her own home with her parents, and she was trying her best to feel at home with the two brunettes that she knew now wanted her in their lives.

Ezra had wanted to try and get her talking, knowing that they were going to have to do some work to try and get that barrier that she had broken down, but the not-so-homeless girl hadn't wanted anything to do with it. Instead, she followed Emily down to the building's gym and ran on the treadmill for an hour and a half straight.

The only reason she had stopped was because Emily forced her to rest and take a drink.

She hadn't wanted to stop her run, loving the feel of her legs and abdomen burning as she tried to exercise her troubles away, as cheesy as it sounded.

Spencer quickly sat up in her bed as she shivered, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to sleep in the freezing cold. She stood from the bed after throwing off the covers and make her way over to the dresser, opening the second drawer to get a new sleep shirt with long, thick sleeves that would make it easier to fall asleep.

The nineteen year old hissed out a curse when her finger got caught between the dresser opening and the wood as she tried to close the drawer back up, dropping the fleece sweater that she had picked up. Rolling her eyes, she slammed the drawer closed, groaning as she bent down to pick up the shirt that had fallen to the hardwood floors.

Then something caught her eye.

In the far corner below the dresser was something small and colorful, the material of what looked like was some kind of cloth wedged between the wall and the back left leg of the dresser.

Spencer's teeth bit down into her bottom lip as she got down onto her knees and tried her best to reach all the way back. Her fingers quickly caught the soft material from behind the wooden leg and tugged, struggling for only a second before the cloth was pulled out from behind the dresser.

Sitting on the cold floor, Spencer's brown eyes flickered down to the object in her hand. The pads of her fingers raked over the soft green fabric and the name sewen elegantly into the bottom left corner.

Then all of a sudden it hit her.

It was a burping cloth.

Spencer looked up with a break in her heart, knowing exactly why the criminology professor had gone so quiet her first night there.

Her room had been a nursery.


	8. Chapter 8

Tying her robe closed so the cold night air couldn't touch her skin, Emily made her way out of her bedroom. It was two in the morning and the third time she had woken up that night. She continued to dream about the experience, one she hoped would never happen to her somewhat makeshift family. Spencer ran away from home, feeling as if she were somewhat of a burden and was ruining the life she and Ezra had created for themselves.

The first night away from home she would get into a fight with another homeless person, and just as Spencer was getting the upper hand they would take out their pocketknife and stab her.

Emily quickly shook off the bad thoughts, letting out a breath as she made her way down the steps to the living room. She really needed a drink to get her mind off things.

Stepping into the living room of her home, the brunette woman frowned, her dark eyes noticing movement on one of the couches. "Spencer?" Padding along the wooden floors, Emily's eyes hit the tired figure trying to get her blanket straightening out. "Honey what are you doing down here?"

The nineteen year old blinked slowly, moving herself to sit up against the armrest so the professor could move to sit down. "Hi."

"Is everything ok? Why aren't you in bed?"

Spencer bit hard into her bottom lip, moving her mused hair away from her face so she could see the older woman. "I just thought I'd come and sleep down here," she nodded.

The chocolate eyed woman softly sat herself down, her hand reaching out to touch the comforter that the teenager had taken from her room to cover her body. "Did you have a nightmare?" she whispered, knowing how scared the teen had been the last time she'd had one.

"No." Vigorously shaking her head, Spencer sat up straighter. "No I didn't."

Emily gently suckled on her bottom lip before nodding her head, her hand on the fluffed comforter. "I bet your bed upstairs is a lot more comfortable than the couch," she chuckled softly, wanting dearly to know why the used to be homeless girl would be trying her hardest to sleep down here rather than in the room she and Ezra had converted for her.

Spencer did her best to smile to the older woman. "I'm really ok, thank you."

"Ok," the criminology professor grunted as she stood from the couch. "Well I'm in need of a drink. You want one?"

The nineteen year old turned her head, her eyes following Emily as she walked into the kitchen. "Sure, thank you. Beer?"

"Yeah right," she chuckled, throwing the younger brunette a water bottle. "Maybe when I'm really down I'll let that one side." Sitting herself down on the coffee table before her expensive couch, she sighed. "So what's going on? Why are you up so late?"

"Why are you up so late?" the brown eyed girl countered, her fingers playing with the cap of the bottle.

Emily smirked, crossing her legs as she unscrewed the bottle cap of her beer. "Nightmares," she nodded truthfully, taking a big swig from the cold beverage. "Now it's your turn."

Glancing down to the bottle in her hand, feeling the condensation from the water bottle wiping onto her fingers. She took a deep breath before sneaking her hand underneath the pillow she had been sleeping on and pulling the burping cloth that she had taken from her room. "Here."

Emily's eyes immediately began to sting at the sight of the cloth and she took it in her hand, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she felt the fabric against her skin. "Where did you find this?"

"I couldn't go to sleep, and when I got up I saw that underneath my dresser." Shrugging her shoulders, she looked into the eyes of the woman who had given her a home. "That's why I moved down here," she whispered "I didn't want to sleep in a room that wasn't meant for me."

The criminology professor gave a quick shake of the head. "No sweetheart, we want you to sleep in there. That's why we gave you that room."

Spencer bit her lip. "What happened?" she asked tentatively.

Emily looked down to the soft burping cloth that she held in her hand, her heart breaking as the memories all came flooding back to her. "Ezra and I have always wanted children," she whispered, fingering the green material. "We found out two years ago that I wasn't able to bear a child, so he and I immediately looked into adoption. There was the woman, only twenty years old, and she was looking to give her baby away because she hadn't planned on it and didn't want to raise the child without its father, who had left her the moment he found out she was pregnant.

"So she and the agency looked into us and thought we would be perfect parents," she smiled. "We got everything ready for the baby's arrival, found out it was a boy so we bought everything accordingly..." the brunette trailed off, her head shaking as the hurt came back to crack her heart open. "But then she backed out."

Spencer's heart broke for the older woman, wanting so badly to help the professor to stop crying. "What?"

The older woman shakily nodded her head. "She decided that she wasn't willing to give away her son to us, and because we hadn't signed the contract yet we didn't have any right to keep him. So," she sniffled, "we waited until we felt the time was right to take everything out of what was going to be his room and then we gave it away to charity. I decided to keep a few things though." Her tears fell from her eyes, landing on the soft material she held in her hand. "I didn't want to give all of him away."

Standing from her spot on the couch, Spencer made her way across three steps of floorboard to sit herself beside the older woman, wrapping an arm tight around her shoulders to stop her crying.


End file.
